Disclaimer is in chapter 1.

Xander growled slightly as he pushed his fountain pen into the page of the Grimoire, angrily countering the protestations coming from the embedded personalities. It was an exercise in frustration, unfortunately, since they weren't supposed to be truly independent people, but recorded facsimiles of same.

The process used to embed the personalities into the book was similar to that used to create portraits, a combination of the Protean Charm and various memory spells that caused the book to become 'similar' to the minds of those who had cast the charms on themselves. Xander had to bear in mind that, in magical terms, the word 'Similar' had very specific connotations. It didn't mean similar, it meant *Similar*, with a capital 'S'.

The Similarity Principal of Magic could easily be summed up by saying Like affects Like. That, however, was a kindergarten way of describing the true meaning. It was like saying that the Sun was a burning ball in the sky. It was accurate enough to convey the concept, but wholly inadequate to actually describe the power and majesty that existed in a Stellar object if that nature.

In his reading Xander had been surprised to discover that Normal Science had begun to predict the existence of this, incredibly important and yet underestimated, branch of magic. It had first shown up in his RPG books, prompting him to read into it further in his Physics text.

It was called Quantum Entanglement, a theory which held that certain quantum particles could become entangled with other, identical particles, and affect each other at any range, instantly. It was, Xander thought, rather shocking that Normal Physics had begun to theorize the existence of an entire branch of magical study.

In the here and now, however, it was merely giving Xander a headache.

On the one hand, the book he was holding was supposed to hold several weak imitations of people. People he had been arguing with for several hours and, for all intents and purposes, losing too. They didn't TALK like reflections, not once he aroused their interest. They changed from the rote by rote teachers and began to argue that real people, often ignoring Xander's own attempts to enter the conversation in their ire with each other.

Lilly Evans and Sirius Black were adamantly screaming his innocence, while Narcissa Black was playing Devil's Advocate and pointing out that Sirius HAD come from a noted Pureblood Family and could easily have fallen into line in his later years. In fact, she pointed out, his infiltrating a noted family like the Potters would be considered a coup worthy of a Black.

Xander had winced when that point was made, he was relatively certain that his ears would have been ringing from the outraged replies.

Alice Prewitt was more muted, offering quieter thoughts on the subject, and sometimes drifting off into confusing and nearly incomprehensible lines of thought that brought nothing but confusion to the topic at hand.

ENOUGH.

Xander's heavily scored writing brought a moment of stillness to the book, and he took a few seconds to breathe a sigh of relief before putting pen to paper again.

These are the FACTS. One, He wrote, the Potters were betrayed and Black was presumed to be the Secret Keeper. Two, Black did get in a confrontation with Pettigrew in which Pettigrew apparently died. Black was thrown in Azkaban and DID recently escape, and DID show up in Harry's room last night wielding a knife.

Those words burned into the page for a moment before the inked blank dog slumped in place and seemed defeated.

It's not possible, the word bubbles said over the dog's head. I couldn't have. Right?

Of course you couldn't, Lilly's representation, a delicately inked flower, responded. We must not have all the information.

That was possible, Xander conceded. He'd grown to like the annoying troublemaker over the past few months, and just couldn't wrap his mind around Black as a murderous traitor. Of course, that's exactly what the book would want him to think if the book was some evil talisman like the diary from the year before.

But would he be able to think that way if it was?

Xander rubbed his temple, trying not to groan. It was just a pain in the ASS.

He sighed, his pen clattering to the desk as he pushed the book away. He'd trying getting answers, but all he got were more questions.

Narcissa frowned at her copy of the Grimoire. She didn't know why she had brought it with her to Hogsmeade really, though it did provide a link into the school that couldn't be traced, and thus a way to get information out that may be otherwise suppressed by Dumbledore or the Ministry. With Lucius being no help at all on this matter, she needed every scrap of information she could lay her hands on.

The ongoing debate within the pages was just short of ridiculous in her opinion, and she wondered what the boy was trying to accomplish with it? The memories within had no will of their own, and no real information past the day the book had been charmed.

Or so she thought, until she noted Lilly referring to herself as Lilly Potter.

Narcissa scowled, that wasn't right. And why in Merlin's Name was Lilly so adamantly defending Sirius anyway?

Back then they had barely tolerated each other. The Grimoire had been completed at the end of their fifth year, before Lilly and James had started to date, and while Sirius was still detested as the Casanova want to be of Hogwarts.

She cast her mind back to the spell they had used, wondering if they had forgotten to seal it properly. Perhaps the book was even to this day drawing on their memory connection?

Narcissa shook her head, then quickly cast a few diagnostic spells on it, and herself.

No, no connection to be found.

She sighed. It was quite strange, but not immediately important she decided. She had more important things to deal with in the near term.

Xander barely muffled his groan when he stepped down into the common room and right into a, patent pending, Draco Malfoy Rant (tm). The blond was roaring about his punishment, saying that McGonagall didn't have the right to punish him and basically going on and on to anyone who'd listen.

It actually took Xander a while to remember what the hell the blond was being punished for, mostly cause he rarely paid attention to Quidditch. It hit him when Draco said something about a harmless prank, reminding him of the long Dementor robes Draco and his hangers on had used to try and intimidate Harry during the match.

"Oh not this again," Xander muttered, just before he could stop himself.

"Stay out of this Harris!" Draco snapped, whirling around. "This is none of your business!"

"You can say that again," Xander shook his head, pushing past the group and moving toward the far side of the room. "I just came down to get some air, and I don't mean hot air that's already been blown up everyone's ass."

Several people in the room laughed openly at that as Draco visibly trembled, turning an alarming shade of puce.

"How DARE you!?"

"Me? You're bitching about being punished after that stunt?" Xander laughed dryly, "If I were McGonagall I'd give you points for that. You made us look like idiots, and Harry look like more of a lion than ever!"

Draco jerked back, like he'd been slapped.

"It's amazing," Xander said with a shake of his head, "You have to be Harry Potter's best ally, he can always count on you to make him look good."

Draco snapped, his wand in his hand in a flash as he snapped it in Xander's direction, "Furnunculus!"

"Protego!" Xander replied, his own wand having already been gripped tightly as he recognized Draco's state of mind. "Stupefy!"

The red blast of energy crossed paths with Draco's curse in the middle of the room, giving the blond just enough time to drop to the ground as it passed over him and dropped Goyle in his tracks. The Furnunculus curse splashed across Xander's shield, dropping its effectiveness but not penetrating the magical bubble.

Xander instantly dropped the shield, killing the power drain, but prepared to cast another.

"I've told you before, Draco, if you intend to CHEAT don't get CAUGHT." Xander said clearly, shifting to one side so if too many of them decided to help Draco he could duck out the door into Hogwarts proper. "Getting caught cheating is worse than losing, even if you win."

"Nothing is worse than losing, fool." Draco sneered as he climbed to his feet.

Xander rolled his eyes, "If everyone knows you cheated, you get no respect for the win... and the people you beat, lose no respect for their loss. But if THEY beat you, and everyone knows you cheated, you lose a HUGE amount of respect for having lost despite having the advantage, and they win an equally huge amount for having beaten the odds. By cheating obviously you give the other side all the cards and concede victory to them."

Draco looked confused, then shook his head, "That's nonsense! If you win you win. That's what counts."

"In a war, sure." Xander returned, his wand still between them and ready to cast. "But this isn't war. Winning on the field doesn't get you anything off it, unless people think you won fair. Every time you go and do something stupid like the other day you make us look worse off the field, and everyone else look better. ESPECIALLY the Gryffs."

Xander moved back to the door and felt it open as he tucked his wand into his pocket.

"Not that I care," He shrugged, "I'm a yank. All this house rivalry crap is meaningless to me."

With that parting shot Xander backed out of the Slytherin Common room and let the stone wall close. He turned and began to make his way up the hall, he really did need to get some air, and then maybe back to the library.

After that little spell exchange he was feeling a lot better actually.

Hermione had cracked the Protean, somehow, he wasn't sure how. She didn't seem to have any TIME to do so. But now it was just a matter of preparing the spell to map Hogwarts Wards.

Frankly, Xander felt it was overtime to get himself a Marauders Eye view of the school.

Daphne Greengrass leaned slightly back as the commotion in the common room began to die down, noting with amusement that several of those who had been hanging on Draco's every word a few moments earlier were drifting out of the room even as the blond picked up a new rant against his housemate.

"He has a way with words."

Daphne looked over at Tracy Davis, one eyebrow arcing.

"Harris, not Draco."

"Ah." Daphne nodded, "I think he's been thinking about that one since first year, actually."

"Still. He has a point." Tracy said with a put upon sigh. "You're closer to the Malfoy's than I am, Daph... is it an act?"

"Excuse me?" Daphne blinked, surprised at the question.

"Draco." Tracy elaborated. "Is it an act? Or is he really this stupid."

Daphne had to stop there, suddenly considering the question. "I don't know. I doubt it's all an act, though. He's been too perfect at it."

Tracy snickered softly, but nodded in agreement. "I hope you're right."

Daphne nodded soberly, "Me too."

Because if it was an act...

She shuddered to think of it.

"Ugly thoughts aside," Daphne said slowly, "I believe that Xander has secured a slight lead in the race."

Tracy nodded thoughtfully, considering the likely repercussions of the events of a few minutes earlier. Certainly his little speech had shook a few of the uncertain allies Malfoy had gathered back to neutrality, but it was very likely that Harris' own little cabal had grown slightly as well.

"I think you're right." She said after a moment, then rolled her eyes, "Do you think either one of them have any idea?"

"Draco doesn't, for sure." Daphne said with certainty, "At least he's shown no sign of even acknowledging that there ARE Slytherins who aren't rich, pureblooded, and worship the Dark Lord. So long as his core followers are there, I don't think he even knows that the rest of us really exist."

"He knows," Tracy said sourly, "He just doesn't think we have minds of our own. That's reserved for the rich and powerful."

"I stand corrected," Daphne accepted the correction easily. Draco Malfoy simply separated people into two groups, well three really. First was the people like himself, rich or at LEAST pureblooded, and espousers of the Dark Lord's philosophy. Second was, well everyone else. The second group was divided up into people who rightly obeyed the orders of their superiors, IE Draco, and those who didn't. Those who didn't had to be destroyed, or put back into their place. Those who did, well they only existed insofar as they had some use to Draco.

Both girls were quite concerned with what use they would have for Draco in the not too distant future, though their own worries were quite small compared to some in the house. The Greengrass and Davis line were strong enough to make even the Malfoy scion wary of crossing the line of propriety, at least in the current political climate.

Should a new Dark Lord come into ascendance on the Malfoy's side, well then things could get ugly.

Which made them VERY interested in the second horse running in what, realistically, should have been a one horse race. Alexander Harris had pretty much literally come out of nowhere, a true dark horse in a House that prided itself on taking others by surprise. His own cabal of followers, or allies, was relatively low on political power but during their Hogwarts years it wasn't political power that counted.

No, it was actual in the hand power. And that was something Harris had on tap, whether he realized it or not.

Since the previous year Tracy and Daphne had taken close notice in his actions and their repercussions. He was one of the more talented students in their year, prone to strange leaps of seeming genius by times, but not really at the top of any one thing. Draco and Potter both had him outclassed in Defense, Granger, Daphne herself, Tracy and many others had him outclassed in the other classes.

Still, when everything was averaged out, he always seemed to be in the top five for their year. Added to that, he was close friends with numbers one and two, Hermione Granger and Wednesday Addams, and was said to have fought at Potters side in the events of the previous year which at least implied an accord with one of the most politically powerful students at Hogwarts.

Within the house he had on several occasions openly challenged Draco's position and actually backed the Malfoy scion down, or at least diverted him from his course much to the gratitude of many in the house.

So, what had begun as a small loose alliance of house rejects was now looking like a solid powerbase at least as practically powerful as the traditional Slytherin cabal. It was true that Draco had a far more potent external powerbase to call on in certain situations, but for all intents and purposes he couldn't fully tap that power except for those very specific situations.

In the long run that political power would likely be the deciding factor in the race, but their class only had four more years to go before graduation. Once free from the immediate proximity of the Malfoy, well options opened up considerably. So neither Daphne, nor many of the smarter students in the house, were truly playing a long game at the moment. They were looking more to the medium terms, and in that range of play Harris seemed to be the top dog.

In many ways the only thing preventing Harris from assuming full leadership of Slytherin house was the simple fact that he hadn't yet demanded it.

All that as a third year, no less.

It was absolutely infuriating that he didn't seemed to have the slightest CLUE as to any of it. Daphne was beginning to wonder if he wasn't some sort of idiot savant.

It was done.

Xander couldn't help but smirk a little as he looked over the work. Hermione's calculations and spellwork had been immaculate, as always. His own numbers confirmed her work, as did Wednesdays. That was good enough for him, the map was ready to be imprinted.

That did leave the very annoying problem of how to get it into the Headmaster's office however.

As a Slytherin he couldn't just get caught doing something bad and get sent there for discipline, Professor Snape handled his own house entirely IN house. Xander figured he'd have to murder someone to wind up in the headmaster's office, and that seemed a little extreme for his current plans.

Basically that didn't leave him many options really.

He could try and break in, he supposed. The fact that the Headmaster used various sweets as the password to his office was no secret, but even so Xander suspected that the system was a little more complicated than that. If he'd been setting it up he probably wouldn't let the password work unless he was sitting in his office or it had been used by someone who was cleared through the wards. Even if Dumbledore was careless enough to do otherwise, he'd damn sure have the wards record entries.

Showing up as having broken into the headmaster's officer would be a bad way to keep his anonymity, and since he wasn't a ward breaker that option was out.

That left a Trojan Horse, which should be doable, but he'd have to set the conditions carefully. Xander hummed happily to himself as he began to cast small cantrips he'd learned in his first year. Sometimes the best spells were the simplest.

"Sir?"

Professor Severus Snape paused, half turning as his robes flowed around him, and glared at the young Slytherin coming up behind him. "Yes?"

The second year gulped but held out an envelope, "I'm sorry sir, but I found this."

Snape took the proffered envelop and noted the name on it, one eyebrow raising. "And you bring it to me because?"

"I can't find Xander, Sir." The boy said, "It looked important."

He looked at it again and noted that the letter did indeed have a seal that read Gringotts of America. A markedly different seal from Gringotts, he noted with an odd flash of annoyance. Arrogant colonials. Severus fisted the envelop, however, and drove it into his pocket. "Very well, I'll see to it that he gets it. Be on your way."

"Yes Sir."

Snape didn't even pause to watch the boy run off, he just turned and continued on his way to his nightly visit with the headmaster.

"Milk Duds." He growled out, not breaking stride as the gargoyle's leapt out of the way.

In the Headmaster's office he found the other heads of house waiting and nodded curtly, "My apologies for being late, I was stopped by a student."

"No trouble at all, Severus," Albus smiled calmly, holding out a bowl of confectionaries, "Lemon drop?"

"No, thank you." Snape said as he took his seat.

"Now then, let us beg..." Dumbledore began, then paused with a frown to look back at Snape. "Are you aware you're carrying a charmed item?"

Snape stiffened, mind racing, "No, I..."

He calmed quickly, sighing, and fished out the envelop the student had given him. "I was just given this, apparently Mr. Harris left his correspondence lying around carelessly."

Albus took it from him, adjusting his glasses, "My, my, Gringotts of America. Yes, I see."

"Is it a problem, Albus?" Minerva leaned forward.

"No, no. Merely an identification charm that was activated," Albus chuckled, "I must be getting paranoid."

"Is Mr. Harris nearby?" Pomona blinked.

"No," Albus chuckled again, "No it was most likely reacting to me as Headmaster, and legal guardian of all my students. Slightly shoddy spellmanship, but I suppose American Goblins are a little laxer in their work than our own."

He handed the envelop back, "See to it that Mr. Harris receives his bank statements, Severus, I understand he's made quite a lot off that little potion of his."

Snape scowled, stuffing the envelop back in his robes as the others chuckled. He didn't need to be reminded of that. The very idea that such a simple potion brew could have become worth so much was, well it was both mind boggling and more than a little infuriating. He'd looked up the patent himself shortly after it became public and was quite disgusted by how so frivolous a brew had become to sought after.

The only thing that saved Harris, in Snape's eyes, was that the boy was quite rightly embarrassed by the whole matter.

Still chuckling at his Potions Master, the Headmaster shifted the topic back to the daily reports and began the meeting in earnest.

Xander was sitting in the Common Room when Professor Snape strode in for his nightly inspection. The Professor spotted him from across the room and smoothly crossed over, parting the students with no effort whatsoever, and unceremoniously dumped the letter in Xander's lap.

"I strongly advise you not to lose your correspondence in the future." Snape hissed softly, glaring down at him. "You may not be so lucky as to have someone return it."

Xander nodded, clearly swallowing. "Thank you, sir."

Snape rolled his eyes and pivoted away, robes billowing around him as he walked. Xander watched him leave before breaking the seal on the envelope and taking out the blank parchment inside.

He couldn't help but smirk slightly as he looked around to make sure no one was too close, then tapped the paper with his wand.

Deafening Silence?

The words flowed onto the page smoothly and Xander smiled slightly, "Sweet Sorrow."

The words faded away, replaced by a series of lines that grew out from the center, showing a clear view of the Slytherin Common Room with name tags for everyone currently within, and slowly grew to encompass the whole school.

The New Coven Proudly Presents, A Marauder's Eye View.

Xander idly placed a finger on the map and used it to drag the view around until he could see the Gryffindor Dorms, his eye picking out Hermione Granger's name in what he presumed was her room. Another smooth motion brought him to Wednesday, sitting at her desk in Ravenclaw dorms.

"Mischief managed, Mr. Black," He whispered, with a small decidedly evil looking grin. "But not complete, not by a long shot."

Xander tapped the map again, quietly telling it, "Military Intelligence."

The map went blank as he got up and walked across the room to a second year he'd saved from a Malfoy beat down.

"Thanks, Derrick." Xander nodded, "Just let me know what you want from town next weekend, ok?"

"No problem, Xan," Derrick Smythe, half-blood Slytherin outcast said with a small smile.